Pete Buttigieg says he’s ‘not planning on going anywhere,’ despite questions over his next step

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Thursday said he doesn’t plan to leave his Cabinet position in the Biden administration, after his name was floated to run for the open Senate seat in Michigan.

“I love this job and I feel like we’re right in the middle of the action,” he said in an interview with Punchbowl News, adding that he serves “at the pleasure of the president for the time being.”

He praised the job of Transportation Secretary and acknowledged the challenges he’s faced over the past two years, including the recent mass cancellations by Southwest Airlines.

“This is a job that I think is the best job in the federal government. It’s been very challenging dealing with a lot of issues, especially COVID-related issues that affect everything from container shipping to airline cancellations. But also there’s not been a better time for transportation in — I would argue in our lifetime, because we have this historical bipartisan infrastructure law,” he said.

Buttigieg is largely expected to have aspirations beyond the Biden administration, including running for president again. The rising star in the Democratic Party made waves when he ran for president in 2020 and is considered a close ally of President Biden, who has taken on a mentorship role for him.

Buttigieg also said that his job as secretary is a “privilege” and takes up “110 percent” of his attention. Thursday marked the two-year anniversary since Buttigieg was confirmed.

His campaign to be the 2020 Democratic nominee for president garnered him national attention, putting him on the map as a Democrat to watch for future White House bids. The former Mayor of South Bend, Ind., exceeded expectations and won the Iowa caucuses before bowing out of the race and endorsing Biden.